mildot help

[remingtonman_25_06]

I'm not very good with a mildot so maybe someone else can do this a bit quicker then myself.

I have a nikon 6-18x buckmaster w/mildot reticle. The mildot is calibrated at 12x...I will be using 18x when I do any long ranger range shooting with it so I want it to be on for 18x instead of 12x...

Load combo will be a 40g vmax at 3800...200 yard zero.

Just want a rough idea what the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th mil be at yardage wise.

Thanks

 

[Wondermutt]

Just curious how you calculated your mildot dope at less that full power? All of mine require that the scope be at full power. If you have a method, to convert other than full power, please pass it along.

Thanks

WM

 

[CMBTshooter]

Each dot should be 1.5 mils at 18x.

What's the caliber of the rifle?

 

[FOTIS]

And 1 mil is 3.6" at 100 yards

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Rifle caliber is 223 w/26" bbl.

The manual that came with scope said it was calibrated for milling at 12x, not to mention on the power selector it says "mil" right along side the 12x

 

[atmoshpere]

Quote that I found on mildot.com

Sgt. Rock | April 25, 2011 at 10:21 | Reply

I have had several mil-dot scopes that has had power ranges from 1.5x to 24x power. One should use 10x to determine range on a known size target, but, range can be obtained with any power if one likes additional math. Example: Ranging with a scope set on 5x one takes the reading and muliply by 2 which gives 10x, or using 20x one would divide by 2 and you have it. Simple.

I have no idea if this is correct or not, but according to this person it would look like you could do your range estimation at 18X and divide the reading by 1.5 (18/1.5=12) 12X being where your reticle is calibrated for ranging, not 10X which is a common standard that Sgt. Rock refers to in his post.

Hope this helps some.

 

[AzDak42]

Just curious... I don't see a 6-18x Buckmaster mil-dot as a scope Nikon sells. They have a 4-14x40 with mil dot, where it's setup for use at 12x. Are you sure you have a 6-18?

Assuming it's the 4-14, you can go to their website at this link;
http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/riflescopes/buckmasters/4.5-14x40_Side_Focus_Mildot/6469

If you click on the 'specifications' tab, then select subtensions it will give you a graph with the following:

Their chart shows the distances between dots at the various magnifications. Hopefully that's what you're looking for.

 

[AzDak42]

So this might help.. Just a quick and dirty estimate -

I used the Hornady online ballistic calc for your round and plugged in the data using 25 yard intervals.

Assuming your 200 yard zero and a 1.5" above bore scope center line: (And using the 12x magnification)

The first mil dot would be about 375 yards
The second mil dot would be about 490 yards
The third would be about be about 570 yards

But mil dots aren't really meant to be an alternate for a BDC. The mil dots are not a great option for the sorts of things you'd be shooting at with that bullet at 500 yards. Keep this in mind.. At 500 yards, that dot is covering 10", or completely obscuring a prairie dog. For precision at those ranges, you want a finer aiming point.

Work out your come ups and dial your scope up to match. You'll do better in the long run.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Remmy, head out to the range, and tack up a target with 1" or 1/2" squares.
Dial the scope up to max power, set the rifle in the rest, line up the dots with the squares, and count.

This will tell you exactly how many inches are between dots at 100 yards. Once you have this information, you can use it to create your own ranging/drop tables.

If you want to use math, 1/1.5=2/3*3.6=2.4 inches betweent he dot per 100 yards.

Remember, as you zoom in, your reticle will cover less of the target, not more. That's why we like low power scopes for quick acquisition.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

calibrated at 12x, the formula would be 12/18x3.6= 2.4" per dot per 100 yards at 18x
RR

 

[Wondermutt]

I gotcha.

Just a little more math to get your dope charts at 18X.

I think I would take that scope to a field or long range and see if you are really gain anything in terms of sight picture by going to 18X.

If its a 2nd plane scope which it probably is, I would use the power specified by the manufacture for doping your shots and 18X just for magnification or spotting.

Just my 2 cents.

WM

 

[JohnB]

I have been using Strelok+ to make these calculations quickly. It is an app for my android phone. The cost was $.99. You enter your load data along with atmospheric data and elevation. Then select the reticle you are using from a large database, and the power it is calibrated at. You can then vary the magnification and the app will show a picture of the reticle with the yardage for each aiming point that corresponds to your load.

As with anything like this it is only useful as a guide until you have actually verified everything in the field.

JohnB